PIA Press Release2006/10/14

InFRES project to link Maslog and Dolores towns

By A. Nicart with Samuel Candido

Tacloban City (14 October) -- An estimated P156M will soon fund the road link between Dolores town and upstream Maslog through the Infrastructure for Rural Productivity Enhancement Sector (InFRES). Dolores (some two- hour ride north of Borongan) side has already started constructing the 27.5 gravel road while Maslog is now in the process of project preparation.

This was revealed by Mr. Rodulfo Carpeso, Municipal Planning and Development Officer of Dolores town in an interview, yesterday.

Once finished, the Dolores road network will pave the opening of some 12- along- the river barangays and eventually to Maslog, a remote town reachable by motorboats for a 4-hour ride.

Hopefully, said Carpeso InfRES would change the picture soon. At this early, with the road construction reaching up to Sitio Lohang in Barangay Tanawan, tricycles have now been briskly plying the route. School teachers who used to take the risk of boat riding specially during bad weather condition are now opting to take the yet rough trail.

Though tricycles charge five pesos more than the motorboat, more commuters now prefer to take the tricycles because trips are more frequent than the motorboats. Motorboats have only one trip per day to.

Aside from ferrying people, goods are also transported easily now. It only takes some 5-6 passengers for a full tricycle whereas the motorboats would need some 20 passengers for a trip.

The road opening has long been anticipated by Dolores and Maslog populace. Motorboat trips on the Dolores River sometimes prove risky during rainy days that people going upstream for their farms have no choice but to risk sailing upstream.

Dolores is the so-called Rice Granary of the province, where, in the far upstream is found the famous multi-million government irrigation project: the vast Hicontol Valley .

With the road opening, rice and other farm products will be easily transported to town and accidents caused by the river getting wild and deadly on stormy days would be lessened. (PIA) [top]